JBI Database of Systematic Reviews & Implementation Reports 2015;13(2) 84 - 100 doi: 10.11124/jbisrir-2015-1800 Page 84 Rifampicin chemoprophylaxis in preventing leprosy in contacts of patients with leprosy: a comprehensive systematic review protocol Silvana Benevides Ferreira, RN, MPH, PhD 1,4 Tatiana Yonekura, RN, MSC 2,4 Juliana Takahashi 2,4 Eliane Ignotti, RN, MPH, PhD 3 Denise da Costa Boamorte Cortela, MSC 3 Cássia Baldini Soares, RN, MPH, PhD 2,4 1. University of Cuiabá, Graduate Program of Federal University of Mato Grosso, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Brazil 2. School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Brazil 3. University of the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil 4. The Brazilian Centre for Evidence-based Healthcare: an Affiliate centre of The Joanna Briggs Institute Corresponding author: Silvana Margarida Benevides Ferreira Silvana_benevides@hotmail.com Review question/objective 1. What is the effectiveness of rifampicin chemoprophylaxis in preventing leprosy in contacts of patients with leprosy? 2. What are the experiences and acceptability with the use of rifampin chemoprophylaxis in the prevention of disease from contacts with patients who have leprosy, in patients with leprosy following treatment and in family and health care professionals? Background Leprosy is globally acknowledged as a millenary and stigmatizing disease and a condition with attributed consequences such as physical deformities and disabilities. From a multi-causal perspective, there is evidence that leprosy occurs more often in men than in women, is distributed across all age groups and occurs mainly among people living in unfavorable socioeconomic circumstances, who are also the most affected by public segregation policies. 1-4 In 2013, a total of 215,656 new cases of leprosy were detected worldwide. Regions with the highest number of cases are Southeast Asia (72.1%) the Americas (15.3%). Whereas the countries with the highest prevalence were India (58.8%) and Brazil (14.4%). 5